Monday, February 2, 1998Last modified at 12:27 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 1998

Parental Supervision

THE PARENTS OF SOME of the victims in a bizarre case in Ford City, Pa., were angry with the prosecutor after a 47-year-old man pleaded guilty to sexual offenses involving seven teen-age girls.

Walter Booher, who allowed the girls to hang out and stay at his home, sexually assaulted them over a period of three years, the girls said. He threatened to retaliate against them with the Mafia and black magic if they told anyone.

Booher was originally charged with 334 separate offenses but was allowed to plead guilty to only five of them while the others were dismissed.

The parents were angry not just about the plea bargain arrangement but with the words of prosecutor George Kepple.

"He threw his hands up," one mother complained. "He said, 'Where were you as a parent?' He tried to put all the blame on the parents."

The parents were not to blame for the shameful criminal acts of Booher, but the question about where the parents were was a legitimate one, in our opinion.

We acknowledge that it is not always easy for parents to monitor the whereabouts of their teen-agers, but District Attorney Scott Andreassi noted that some of the victims were literally living with Booher. How did that happen?

Parents should take a close interest in their teen-agers and should make an effort to know who their friends are and where they are spending their time.

It is difficult at times, but supervision is one of the most important aspects of being a parent. Supervision not only helps to guide teen-agers, it helps to protect them.